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Friday, January 1, 2010

Thank you for all the greetings and news throughout the year. I haven't been active sending messages or on the blog, so decided I would make up for it by sending you the attached, which are my personal reminiscences of my short time in ACS (not intended to be representative, probably full of errors, and no obligation to read).

The period between Christmas and New Year is the only time in the year that I have any "downtime" and it is a luxury for me to write for fun rather than work. 2009 was unusual in that I saw many of you, in many different places, and it's also the year that I was asked to write something (much shorter) for a Singapore volume on the 800th anniversary of Cambridge, one of my other alma maters, so got reflective and nostaglic. I'd written something (much longer) on my MGS days about five years ago, so decided it was time to write something on ACS.

Having the old school magazines and a new scanner to play with also helped, but in the end I had to minimize inclusion of the photoscans in order to keep the document manageable in terms of bytes. Apologies if it clogs up your mailbox anyway, and feel free to delete!

I am happy to read your discourse on ACS, life before and life after, you have done well. You may or may not know me or of me. I am Mohan Sonny Menon, also living in the US. I met up with Boon Chye and Cinda last month in New York City, where I reside for the most part. If ever in the area, and if you do remember me, please do not hesitate to give me a shout.

re "Blowing in the Wind " I think it's not correct to say that " ...we didnt realise (it) was anti-Vietnam war".

It was impossible, almost, to be unaware at that time. '67- '68 was probably the height of the war , which was in the news all the time with recurrent reports about draft dodging, flag burning, the antiwar movement in the US, Martin Luther King's and others' views, the offensives and Spore's (evolving) position on the war. We had US soldiers' R&Rs in Spore (Serene Centre near Eugene's house where we used to practice was involved ) and other daily reminders. We knew that hundreds of 'protest' songs (besides B in the W ) were spawned from that war and Joan Baez and other singers were arrested for their protests .

But the lyrics of B in the W (and other 'protest' songs) were also true to what we and most (idealistic) young people could identify with - ie anti-war in general , and pro-peace, freedom and feeling a fellow man's suffering . So the songs became universal, and, may I say, a wonderful privilege to sing .

I remember listening to Dylan for the 1st time at Letty's house - I've been a fan ever since, although his more recent stuff doesn't grab me as much. Listening to 'Chimes of Freedom' prompted my first REAL understanding of the word 'underdog'